The invention relates to shoes, and more particularly to insoles for shoes.
In the course of recent years, the shoemaking industry has developed remarkable achievements in both the quality of products that are offered to the market and the cost of these products. Reductions in the prices of these products have resulted in increased availability to almost the entire world population, including even the poorest segments.
The above mentioned progress has been obtained, in part, by making use of new, modern, and efficient industrial products that are used specifically for the manufacture of soles, uppers or dubs, insoles, and other components. Additionally, specialized designs permit the production of shoes that are designed for specific activities, such as dress, heavy-duty, safety, sport, and other types of footwear.
All such development has been focused to achieve improvements in aesthetics, health, hygiene, and comfort. Among other objectives, a main concern has been to produce a cushioning effect against a bump or blow resulting from contact with the ground or floor when the user walks, runs, or starts each step or cycle. Another objective is to utilize the kinetic energy inherent in the act of being supported on the ground or floor when walking or running, so as to partially return the energy to the user when the foot is lifted or detached from the ground or floor.
While attention has been directed to the development in other areas, progress with respect to foot temperature and moisture regulation has been limited to improving the permeability of the shoe, so as to enhance the escape of perspiration from the shoe. The present invention is directed to a moisture and temperature regulating insole for use within a shoe. The shoe adapts itself to the individual requirements of each user that are dependent upon factors such as the level of activity performed by the user, the weight of the user, and the ambient temperature and humidity.
The present invention is intended to produce an insole to be incorporated in a shoe such that the insole maintains an ideal temperature and moisture content within the shoe, but which maintains these ideal conditions when the user""s activities change or the environmental conditions change. For example walking versus running, cold versus warm weather, or humid versus dry conditions.
The object of this invention is highly important because the foot is the part of the body which generates the greatest amount of moisture. The average amount of perspiration for a pair of feet is approximately 250 cc/day. This perspiration originates from approximately 60,000 sweat glands, of which 80% are located in the soles of the feet.
Under normal conditions, the temperature of a foot inside of a shoe reaches 40 to 50xc2x0 C., and may rise considerably if a temperature regulated shoe, as proposed by the present invention, is not used.
The poorly managed moisture conditions within the shoe causes fungi growth, foot itching, foot odor, and other foot health and hygiene problems.
The present invention solves a highly complex problem, because everybody generates a different amount of moisture and a different temperature. These personal characteristics vary according to different variables such as gender, age, weight, and time of day.